Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Khaleda Zia, Terrorist Hizbut Tahrir, Daily Amar Desh and Coup Planned by Fanatic Army Officers

সেনাবাহিনীতে বিশৃঙ্খলা ও সরকার উতখাতের চেষ্টা ব্যর্থ

সেনাবাহিনীর সাবেক ও বর্তমান কিছু সদস্য দেশের গণতান্ত্রিক সরকারকে উতখাত এবং সেনাবাহিনীতে বিশৃঙ্খলা সৃষ্টির চেষ্টা করেছিল বলে তদন্তে প্রমাণ মিলেছে। সেনা সদর দপ্তরের এক তদন্ত প্রতিবেদনে এই তথ্য উদঘাটিত হয়েছে। আজ বৃহস্পতিবার সেনা সদর দপ্তরে এক সংবাদ সম্মেলনে সেনাবাহিনীর পরিচালক (পিএস পরিদপ্তর) ব্রিগেডিয়ার জেনারেল মোহাম্মদ মাসুদ রাজ্জাক এই তথ্য জানান।

লিখিত বক্তব্যে মোহাম্মদ মাসুদ রাজ্জাক জানান, সম্প্রতি কিছু প্রবাসী বাংলাদেশির ইন্ধনে সেনাবাহিনীর সাবেক ও বর্তমান কিছু কর্মকর্তা সেনাবাহিনীতে বিশৃঙ্খলা সৃষ্টি করে বাংলাদেশের গণতান্ত্রিক ধারাকে ব্যাহত করার চেষ্টা চালিয়েছিলেন। কিন্তু বাংলাদেশ সেনাবাহিনী তা সফল হতে দেয়নি।

সংবাদ সম্মেলনে বলা হয়, বিশৃঙ্খলা সৃষ্টির উদ্দেশ্যে সেনাবাহিনীর একজন সাবেক কর্মকর্তা গত ১৩ ডিসেম্বর মেজর পদমর্যাদার আরেক কর্মকর্তাকে তাঁর সঙ্গে যোগ দেওয়ার জন্য প্ররোচনা দেন। তবে ওই মেজর বিষয়টি তাঁর চেইন অব কমান্ডকে জানালে অবসরপ্রাপ্ত ওই কর্মকর্তাকে গ্রেপ্তার করা হয়। এ ছাড়া এই ঘৃণ্য পরিকল্পনার আরেক অংশীদার মেজর সৈয়দ মো. জিয়াউল হক গত ২২ ডিসেম্বর কর্মরত অন্য এক সেনা কর্মকর্তাকে একই ধরনের কার্যক্রম চালানোর প্ররোচনা দেন। ওই কর্মকর্তা বিষয়টি যথাযথ কর্তৃপক্ষকে জানালে মেজর জিয়াউলের ছুটি ও বদলি আদেশ বাতিল করা হয়। তাঁকে ঢাকার লগ এরিয়া সদর দপ্তরে যোগদানের নির্দেশ দেওয়া হয়। গত ২৩ ডিসেম্বর ছুটিতে থাকার সময় মেজর জিয়াউল পালিয়ে গিয়ে সেনাবাহিনীর বিরুদ্ধে নাশকতামূলক (সাবভারসিভ) কার্যক্রম চালানোর পাঁয়তারা করেন এবং তিনি এখনো তা করে চলেছেন।

এ ছাড়া, সুনিশ্চিত তথ্যের ভিত্তিতে দায়িত্বরত একজন কর্মকর্তাকে সরকারের আনুগত্য থেকে বিরত থাকার প্ররোচনা দেওয়ার অভিযোগে মেজর পদবির এক কর্মকর্তাকে গত ৩১ ডিসেম্বর সেনা আইনের ধারায় গ্রেপ্তার করা হয়।

মোহাম্মদ মাসুদ রাজ্জাক আরও জানান, সেনাবাহিনীতে বিশৃঙ্খলা সৃষ্টির কিছু তথ্য ফাঁস হয়ে যাওয়া এবং কয়েকজন গ্রেপ্তার হওয়ার পরিপ্রেক্ষিতে গত ২৬ ডিসেম্বর মেজর জিয়াউল তথাকথিত গ্রেপ্তার ও নির্যাতন-সংক্রান্ত অবিশ্বাস্য গল্প বর্ণনা করে একটি উসকানিমূলক ই-মেইল তাঁর পরিচিতদের পাঠান। পরে তা সামাজিক যোগাযোগের ওয়েবসাইট ফেসবুকে সোলজারস ফোরাম নামের একটি পেইজে আবু সাঈদ নামক এক ব্যক্তি আপলোড করে দেন। পরে ওই কর্মকর্তা ‘বাংলাদেশ সেনাবাহিনীতে মধ্যম সারির কর্মকর্তারা অচিরেই বড় ধরনের পরিবর্তন আনতে যাচ্ছেন’ শিরোনামে দুটি ই-মেইল ইন্টারনেটে ছড়িয়ে দেন। চলছে।  ৩ জানুয়ারি মেজর জিয়াউলের ইন্টারনেট বার্তাটি ‘আমার দেশ’ পত্রিকা প্রকাশ করে। এরই ধারাবাহিকতায় ৮ জানুয়ারি নিষিদ্ধঘোষিত সংগঠন হিজবুত তাহরীর মেজর জিয়াউলের ইন্টারনেটে পাঠানো ওই বার্তাটিকে ভিত্তি করে দেশব্যাপী উসকানিমূলক প্রচারপত্র ছড়ায়। ৯ জানুয়ারি এর ওপর ভিত্তি করে একটি রাজনৈতিক দল সেনাবাহিনীতে গুমের ঘটনা ঘটছে বলে অভিযোগ করে, যা সেনাবাহিনীসহ সচেতন নাগরিকদের মধ্যে অনাকাঙ্ক্ষিত উসকানিমূলক বিতর্কের সৃষ্টি করে।


সংবাদ সম্মেলনে মোহাম্মদ মাসুদ রাজ্জাক আরও জানান, গ্রেপ্তার হওয়া সাবেক দুজন কর্মকর্তা ও চাকরিরত কর্মকর্তাদের দেওয়া তথ্য অনুযায়ী, সেনাবাহিনীর ঘাড়ে ভর করে গণতান্ত্রিক সরকারব্যবস্থাকে উত্খাতের ঘৃণ্য চক্রান্তের সঙ্গে সেনাবাহিনীতে চাকরিরত কিছু কর্মকর্তার সম্পৃক্ততার সুনির্দিষ্ট তথ্য উদঘাটিত হয়েছে। এ-সম্পর্কিত বিস্তারিত তথ্য উদঘাটনের জন্য গত ২৮ ডিসেম্বর একটি তদন্ত আদালত গঠন করা হয়, যার কার্যক্রম এখনো চলছে।

(Source: http://www.prothom-alo.com/detail/date/2012-01-19/news/217827)

“মেজর জিয়া ২৬ ডিসেম্বর তাকে গ্রেপ্তার ও নির্যাতন সংক্রান্ত কল্পনাপ্রসূত ও অবিশ্বাস্য গল্প বর্ণনা করে উস্কানিমূলক একটি ইমেইল তার পরিচিতদের কাছে পাঠান, যা সোলজারস ফোরাম নামে একটি ব্লগসাইটেও আপলোড হয়,” বলেন ব্রিগেডিয়ার রাজ্জাক।

এরই ধারাবাহিকতায় ৩ জানুয়ারি আমার দেশ-এ প্রকাশিত একটি প্রতিবেদন বিভ্রান্তি তৈরি করেছে বলে সেনাবাহিনী জানায়। এদিকে আমার দেশ সেনা সদরে পাঠানো এক প্রতিবাদপত্রে জানিয়েছে, তারা কোনো কল্পকাহিনী প্রকাশ করেনি, তারা মেজর জিয়ার ইমেইল ও ফেইসবুকে প্রকাশিত বক্তব্য ধরেই ওই প্রতিবেদন ছাপিয়েছেন।

সেনাবাহিনী জানায়, আমার দেশর প্রতিবেদনের পর ৮ জানুয়ারি হিযবুত তাহরীরের একটি লিফলেটও প্রচার হয়।

তারপর ৯ জানুয়ারি চট্টগ্রামের সমাবেশে সেনাসদস্যও গুম হচ্ছে বলে বিরোধীদলীয় নেতা খালেদা জিয়ার বক্তব্যের প্রসঙ্গ ধরে ব্রিগেডিয়ার রাজ্জাক বলেন, “একটি বৃহত্তর রাজনৈতিক দলও মনগড়া, বিভ্রান্তিকর ও প্রচারমূলক সংবাদের সঙ্গে তাল মিলিয়ে অভিযোগ করে, যা সেনাবাহিনী তথা সচেতন নাগরিকদের মধ্যে অনাকাক্সিক্ষত উস্কানিমূলক বিতর্কের সৃষ্টি করে।”


(Source: http://www.bdnews24.com/bangla/details.php?cid=2&id=183384&hb=1)

Army foils coup plot against Hasina

The spokesman said conspirator Maj Zia was an organiser of Hizb ut-Tahrir – an outfit banned here two and a half years ago on charges of running militancy.

"On Dec 22 last year, Maj Zia met a senior officer and tried to provoke that senior officer into using the army against the state and democracy," the spokesman said.

"The senior officer immediately informed the appropriate authorities and his (Maj Zia's) leave and transfer order was cancelled."

"But he did not return to work and has still kept himself engaged in trying to organise subversive activities against the army."

"Maj Zia on Dec 26 sent a provocative email to people known to him describing imaginary and unbelievable story of his arrest and torture. The story was uploaded in a blog site named Soldiers' Forum, too."

"Daily Amar Desh ran a report on Jan 3 on the blog post, creating confusion."


"Hizb ut-Tahrir distributed a leaflet on this on Jan 8."
Apparently referring to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia's remarks at a Chittagong rally on Jan 9 that 'even army personnel are being abducted', Brig Razzaq said, "Even a large political party sang along imaginary, misleading and propagandist news to bring allegations, which created unexpected and provocative debate among the army and conscious citizens."

(Source: http://www.bdnews24.com/details.php?cid=2&id=216375&hb=1)

Monday, April 9, 2012

Khaleda Zia Took Money From ISI - Dateline Islamabad Pakistan News

Unfolding mysteries













Afzal khan

This fortnight has been a moment of truth for Benazir Bhutto. Last week, Rehman Malik attempted to unmask the mystery of her assassination without clearly naming the murderer but pointed to machinations of General Musharraf to lay down a perfect alibi for her actual assassins to perpetrate the heinous crime. We were told that they were only the pawns in the hands of the mastermind behind the larger conspiracy, whose identity we may never know.
As such Malik’s briefing was regarded as a political ploy to generate another climate of Bhutto sympathy ahead of the general elections.

On Feb 29, the Supreme Court will take up the long dormant petition filed by Asghar Khan to unveil the ISI conspiracy to thwart possible election victory of Ms Bhutto’s PPP in the 1990 elections conceived by Ghulam Ishaq Khan-Baig duo, after dismissing her government within less than two years. Having successfully manipulated the 1988 polls to deny her majority, Ishaq and Baig now conspired to ensure her defeat in 1990.

The IJI of rightist elements had earlier been created in 1988 and its mastermind General Hameed Gul as ISI chief boasted of ensuring that a fragmented house emerged after the elections with PPP leading an unstable coalition, which could be dismantled at an appropriate time. The plan achieved partial success which emboldened the conspirators to design a total rout of the PPP.

In 1988, Ishaq Khan had retained Nawaz Sharif as interim chief minister Punjab and allowed him to use state machinery and resources for manipulating the elections. In 1990, his crony Haider Wyne was chosen for the same objective.

The Mehran Bank chief was compelled to “donate” millions of rupees for distribution against IJI leaders, including Nawaz Sharif, Mustafa Jatoi, Jamaat-e-Islami and others.

General Baig assigned the task to General Asad Durrani to deliver the largesse, which he acknowledged in his affidavit in the Supreme Court. All the Generals testifying in the court had no compunction in admitting their share in the criminal act.

Baig and others claimed they were obeying the illegal order of a legal chief executive, meaning Ishaq Khan. Baig even hinted that a major chunk of the amount was delivered to Khalida Zia to influence Bangladesh elections against the perceived enemy of Pakistan — Hasina Wajid. With impunity General Baig walked out of the apex court daring Chief Justice Zullah to do whatever he likes against him.

In a gathering at Washington’s Kabab Masala Restaurant, General Hameed Gul boasted that he had fathered the IJI to contain Ms Bhutto in the elections. ”Had I not done that, the PPP would have swept the polls” Gul had shameless asserted. The conspiracy to deny any party a stable and comfortable majority was hatched to create political instability and uncertainty in the country and to discredit and give a bad name to politicians for being too incompetent and corrupt to rule the country.

In 1988, Punjab had a split result with PPP winning 104 and PML 109 seats, while 44 independent were returned who could tilt the balance in any one’s favour. It so happened that with 92 seats in the National Assembly against 54 of the IJI, PPP needed only 9 more to form the government.

Ishaq Khan had no option but to name Ms Bhutto as premier, but knew that if he did name BB as premier without first ensuring Nawaz Sharif’s nomination as chief minister Punjab, the independents would immediately switch loyalty to the PPP. To thwart that, he created the farce of consultation with politicians to ascertain who should be named.

Prime Minister Nawabzada Nasrullah told him to call a kid to find out whether 92 is larger than 54. But Farooq Laghari, who had earlier bungled polls in Punjab along with Naheed Khan and Badar, in the distribution of tickets, prevailed upon Ms Bhutto to name him as a candidate for the chief minister slot.

Once she did, he waited at his palatial residence in Lahore for the independents to kowtow him. Nawaz Sharif went to their homes instead, and finally won their support. Laghari did not waste a minute after the vote and returned to Islamabad and took oath as federal minister.

Punjab was then lost to PPP, perhaps forever.

The 1990 polls were stolen by Ishaq and company through a cell he created in the Presidency under General Rafaqat and Benazir was restricted only to Sindh. Dejected and completely disillusioned, she came to Islamabad and invited H K Burki, Ziauddin, Nisar Usmani and myself to lunch for advice. In desperation she declared her intention to leave the country. “They, the opponents, unite when they see me but will disintegrate when I am out of sight.”

I said, BB, there is no long or short leave in politics. Out of sight you make people forget you and let others fill the vacuum (Sharif and Imran have yet to learn that lesson). Like in 1970, 1988 you have again won 38 per cent votes, but in the plurality of equation, have been cheated out of seats you deserved. At the moment, your voters feel disheartened by the fraud. You should go around the country, hold district and divisional conferences to regroup them as your father used to do.”

Ms Bhutto was not impressed. “There is no use of such conferences”, she responded. The rest is history.

Source: http://www.dateline.com.pk/?p=4807

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Tarique Zia Symbol of Violent Politics



Friday, September 9, 2011

Wikileaks

Tarique symbol of violent politics

Leaked cable discloses US envoy portrayed him as image of 'kleptocratic govt', saw him as serious threat to US interests in Bangladesh


 
Portraying Tarique Rahman as a symbol of “kleptocratic government and violent politics” in Bangladesh, the US embassy in Dhaka even recommended blocking his entry into the United States.
The embassy believed Tarique was “guilty of egregious political corruption that has had a serious adverse effect on US national interests”, namely the stability of democratic institutions and US foreign assistance goals, a leaked US embassy cable says.
James F Moriarty, the then US ambassador, sent the confidential cable on November 3, 2008 to Washington and WikiLeaks published it on August 30 this year.
He cited several examples of Tarique's major corruption as he described his worries in the cable about the possible impact of giving him access into the US.
The decision in this regard, however, could not be known. Tarique has been staying in London since September 2008.
About six months after Moriarty's recommendation, Geeta Pasi, chargé d' affaires of US embassy in Dhaka, sent another cable to Washington on Tarique. It said the State Department was considering a determination for visa revocation for him under the Presidential Proclamation.
Tarique's corrupt practices have had deleterious effects on the US interests, Moriarty wrote, adding “His antics have weakened public confidence in government and eroded the stability of democratic institutions.”
“Tarique's well-established reputation for flouting the rule of law directly threatens US financial assistance goals directed toward reforming legal codes, strengthening good governance and halting judicial abuses.”
The bribery, embezzlement, and culture of corruption that the BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's elder son has helped create and maintain in Bangladesh has directly and irreparably undermined US businesses, resulting in many lost opportunities, Moriarty wrote.
“His theft of millions of dollars in public money has undermined political stability in this moderate, Muslim-majority nation and subverted US attempts to foster a stable democratic government, a key objective in this strategically important region,” reads the cable.
Tarique's flagrant corruption has also seriously threatened specific US Mission goals, it said.
The US embassy in Dhaka has three key priorities for Bangladesh: democratisation, development, and denial of space to terrorists. “Tarique's audaciously corrupt activities jeopardize all three.”
“His history of embezzlement, extortion, and interference in the judicial process undermines the rule of law and threatens to upend the US goal of a stable, democratic Bangladesh. The climate of corrupt business practices and bribe solicitation that Tarique fostered derailed US efforts to promote economic development by discouraging much needed foreign investment and complicating the international operations of US companies.”
Tarique's “flagrant disregard” for the rule of law had provided potent ground for terrorists to gain a foothold in Bangladesh while also exacerbating poverty and weakening democratic institutions, the cable said.
“In short, much of what is wrong in Bangladesh can be blamed on Tarique and his cronies,” Moriarty wrote.
The US ambassador recommended that Tarique could be subject to Presidential Proclamation 7750 that can block one's entry into the US for the aforementioned reasons.
The cable, however, said the embassy was not seeking to apply the proclamation for Tarique's wife Zubaida Rahman, their daughter Zaima Rahman or his mother Khaleda Zia.
The elder son of Khaleda Zia, who led the government in 1991-1996 and later 2001-2006, became an all influential party leader during BNP's second term in office.
During the period, he established an alternative centre of power at Hawa Bhaban, the then political office of the chairperson. It was open secret that Tarique and his cronies used to interfere in the government activities and control all major business deals.
He, however, became powerless after his arrest during the tenure of immediate past army-backed caretaker government.
Terming him “the notorious and widely feared” son of former premier Khaleda Zia, the US ambassador mentioned that Tarique, arrested in an anti-corruption crackdown in March 2007, was released on bail on September 3 the next year. He flew to the UK on September 11 for medical treatment.
As a condition for his release, Tarique had to quit the post of BNP's senior joint secretary general, after enjoying the position for about five years.
But still abroad, he was made all-powerful senior vice chairman in December 2009 with a clear mandate to lead BNP in absence of his mother.
The cable termed Tarique “notorious for flagrantly and frequently demanding bribes in connection with government procurement actions and appointments to political office”.
Saying that Tarique's release occurred despite multiple pending cases against him on charges of corruption, extortion, bribery, embezzlement and tax evasion, Moriarty wrote: “With deep political ties that reach the highest court in the land, Tarique managed to manipulate the judicial process and overcome a concerted effort by the Caretaker Government to block his bail.”
“We believe Tarique has several passports, including a new one in which the UK issued him a visa in September. Another passport contains a five year multiple-entry B1/B2 visa (issued May 11, 2005). We suspect that passport is being held by the government.”
Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) levelled serious charges against Tarique, the cable said, adding he reportedly had accumulated hundreds of millions of dollars in illicit wealth. There are multiple extortion cases pending against him, founded on the testimony of numerous prominent business owners who he victimised and exploited, the cable said.
“In one case, Tarique allegedly threatened Al Amin Construction owner Amin Ahmed with closure of the company unless he received a payment of 150,000 USD. Other local business leaders, including Mohammad Aftab Uddin Khan of Reza Construction Ltd, Mir Zahir Hossian of Mir Akhter Hossain Ltd, and Harun Ferdousi have each filed accusations detailing a systematic pattern of extortion on a multi-million dollar scale.”
The ACC had also filed charges of concealing ill-gotten wealth, and the National Board of Revenue had brought tax evasion charges against Tarique, it added.
Tarique's corrupt activities were not limited to extortion of local companies, Moriarty wrote.
Saying that the ACC had also uncovered evidence in several bribery cases involving both foreign and local firms and individuals, he listed the following examples:
SIEMENS
According to a witness who funnelled bribes from Siemens to Tarique and his brother Koko, Tarique received a bribe of approximately two percent on all Siemens deals in Bangladesh (paid in US dollars). This case is currently being pursued by Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture and the FBI.
HARBIN COMPANY
ACC sources report that the Harbin Company, a Chinese construction company, paid $750,000 to Tarique to open a plant. According to the ACC, one of Tarique's cronies received the bribe and transported it to Singapore for deposit with Citibank.
MONEM CONSTRUCTION
An ACC investigator advised Embassy officials that Monem Construction paid a bribe worth $450,000 to Tarique to secure contracts.
KABIR MURDER CASE
The ACC has evidence that Tarique accepted a $3.1 million bribe to thwart the prosecution of a murder case against Sanvir Sobhan, the son of Bashundhara Group chairman. Sanvir was accused in the killing of Humayun Kabir, a director of the business conglomerate. An investigation by the ACC confirmed Tarique had solicited the payment, promising to clear Sanvir of all charges.
Moriarty also wrote that beyond bribery and extortion, the ACC reported Tarique had also become involved in an elaborate and lucrative embezzlement scheme. With the help of several accomplices, he succeeded in looting $3 lakh from the Zia Orphanage Trust fund.
He quoted an ACC source saying Tarique, who is a co-signatory to the trust fund account, used funds from the trust for a land purchase in his hometown. He also provided signed checks drawn from the orphanage fund accounts to BNP party members for their 2006 election campaigns.

© thedailystar.net, 1991-2008. All Rights Reserved

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=201716

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Khaleda Zia's Son Koko in Singapore's Newspaper

Source: http://www.asiaone.com/News/The%2BNew%2BPaper/Story/A1Story20110104-256366.html

He was 'excited' to have VIP's son as client
Man held former Bangladesh PM's son's illegal funds in his bank account. -TNP
Thu, Jan 06, 2011
The New Paper
By Amanda Yong and Chong Shin Yen

THE man was an important person, the son of a foreign government leader.

Lim Siew Cheng, 63, the managing director of a corporate secretarial services company, was enamoured of Mr Arafat Rahman, the youngest son of then Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia.

So when the latter asked him to transfer about $3.17 million to two bank accounts here, he agreed.
But the money was tainted.

Lim ended up being dragged into a multi-national corruption probe and was even quizzed by investigators from the US Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Yesterday, Lim pleaded guilty in a court here to two counts of failing to inform the authorities that the money Mr Arafat asked him to transfer and hold in his own name in another bank account were the proceeds of criminal conduct.

He was fined $12,000.

Lim's offence falls under the Corruption, Drug Trafficking and Other Serious Crimes (Confiscation of Benefits) Act, which was expanded to include non-drug related offences in 1999.

Changes to the Act made it mandatory for all persons - including non-financial institutions and persons - to report any suspicious transactions to the authorities.

Lim is only the second person prosecuted for such an offence so far.

The court heard that in April 2004, Lim was introduced to Mr Arafat by one of his Bangladeshi clients, a Captain Sohail of QC Shipping, which is based here.

Mr Arafat told him that he wanted to set up a company here to invest in properties and in the shipping business.

The court heard that for his secretarial services, including acting as a nominee director and shareholder for the company, known as Zasz Trading and Consulting, Lim received $100 every month.

Lim and Mr Arafat also opened a United Overseas Bank (UOB) account under Zasz with both of them as the authorised signatories.

Second company

In November 2005, Lim incorporated another company, Fairhill Consulting, for Mr Arafat. This time, Lim was the sole signatory of the UOB account.

Several transactions took place in both accounts over the next few years, but these were all done by Mr Arafat and he told Lim about the nature of the transactions only from time to time after the event, said Lim's lawyer, Mr Nakoorsha Kadir.

Then, suddenly on Feb 16, 2007, Mr Arafat called him and gave instructions to close both companies immediately due to political problems in Bangladesh.

He told Lim to transfer the remaining funds in the bank accounts to an account under Lim's name for the time being.

Less than a week later, Lim moved US$900,677.34 (S$1.16 million) from the Fairhill account and $2.013 million from the Zasz account to a bank account under his own name.

Four months later, Lim read in newspaper reports that Mr Arafat had been arrested in Bangladesh.
Lim got a call from a Mr Ferdous Khan, a chartered accountant, in November 2007.

He claimed he was conducting an investigation for the interim military government in Bangladesh and that he had traced a payment of US$180,000 to the Zasz bank account.

Lim also got a phone call from someone claiming to be a Bangladeshi embassy official, and a fax from a Bangladeshi government agency about the matter.

It was only then that he started to feel troubled about the situation. But he still thought that Mr Khan might be a fraud and that opportunists or political rivals of Mr Arafat's family could be trying to trick him into releasing the money.

On the advice of his lawyers, he went to the Commercial Affairs Department on Nov 7, 2007.

About eight months later, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) seized the relevant documents and files and interviewed Lim and his secretary.

In September 2008, through CPIB, Lim provided a confidential statement to the Bangladeshi authorities for their investigations.

When Mr Arafat finally called Lim once in December 2008 and again in January 2009, Lim said he was still awaiting his written instructions and that he had told the authorities about the funds.

On Jan 14, 2009, he agreed to speak to officers from the US Department of Justice and the FBI at the CPIB office.

He said he was still unclear about what exactly was going on, even at that stage.

The court was told that the money in Lim's bank account, which he later transferred to UOB accounts opened under the respective companies' names, was seized by the police.

In Lim's mitigation, Mr Nakoorsha said his client had been "naturally quite excited to have a VIP such as the son of a Prime Minister as a client".

Ms Zia was premier from 1991 to 1996 and from 2001 to 2006.

According to previous news reports, a Dhaka court ruled in 2009 that she and her elder son, Mr Tareq Rahman, should go on trial after they were charged with embezzling more than US$300,000 meant for an orphanage.

They denied any wrongdoing and said the charges were politically motivated.

Mr Arafat also faces corruption charges and is accused of laundering more than US$2.7 million through bank accounts in Singapore.

For failing to disclose the suspicious transactions, Lim could have been fined $10,000 on each charge.

Khaleda's Fake Birthday Breeding Violence